Remote control device for automatic phonographs



R l. wlLcox 2.234.937 y March 1.1, 1941.

REIOIB CONTROL 13311133` FOR AUTOMATIC `IHONOGRAPIS 1958` 4 sheets-sheet;

Filed Nov. 12,

March l1, 1941.V R, L wlLCox K 2,234,937

nimm contra-o1. nvlcs Fon AUrolATI PHQNOGRAPHS 'Filed Nov. 12', 19:58 4 sheets-Sheet 5 fz i 59 u 65 l di 1 l 5 's "1 e E E@ f0- 1f 5f ad 55g,

` Innken'bvj Maf/ima,

, Patented Mar. 1.1, 1941 p uuu-ro srAres PATENT. OFF-ICE?, i 2,2%,931-I i I Y i Russell LWilcox, Berwyn, Ill.. assignor to The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, North Tonv' wands, N. Y., a corporation of. h10 Application November 12, 193s, serial No. 239,951 1 claims. (01. 111-353) This invention relates to certain new and' usei'ul improvements in remote control devices for automaticselective phonographs and the like.

It has i'or one of its objects to provide a remote control device of this character which is simple in construction and reliable in operation, and which is so designed and constructed as to be readily applicable for operative connection to the made at the wall box of the device is automatically registered with the companion push button of the Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section,

of the selective push button assembly of an automatic phonograph showing my invention asso-- elated therewith. Figure 2 is a central, longi- 30 tudlnal section thereof. Figure 3'is a cross section taken on line 3 3, Figure 1. Figure 4 is a front elevation, with the cover removed, of the selector-'controlled wall box and associated parts. Figure 5 is a side view, partly insection, of the 35 wall box and associated parts. Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken on line 6 4, Figure 5. Figure 7 is a detail fa'ce view of the selector-registering drum and associated parts. Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view 0 ofthe remote push button assembly. Figure 9 isl a wiring diagram of the vremote .control device.

Similarcharacters of reference indicate-correl sponding partsthroughout the several views.

'Ihis remote control mechanism has been de- 45 signed more particularly for the selective type of phonograph, such for example as the multi-- 55 a revolving selector control arm disposed in operthe instrument.

ative relation withlthe selector pushy buttons of the phonograph to be selectively positioned in line with one or another ofthe buttons corresponding to the record selected `for play at the wall box or remote control station and to be axially shifted 5 at a predetermined time to move the selected push button to an operative position to select a record for play;'and actuating mechanism operae tively associated with such control arm for governing its selective operating movements and i'or 1o governing the restoration of such parts to their initial position. This remote control mechanism is coin-controlled so that upon the deposit of a coin and the selection of a desired record at the remote control station, the selecting operationwlil subsequently be automatically performed at the phonograph In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. the numeral .lll indicates the selector button panel of the phonograph shown in my aforesaid patent and Il 24) indicates the record-selecting push rods or buttons which are disposed in annular fashion to correspond in number to the records borne by 'I'hese push rods are suitably guided for axial movement to and from a selective 25 position in suitable supporting plates i2, I3 and i4, and when moved to a projected selected position, their inner ends are disposed in the path of a rotatable stop arm l5 applied to the selector shaft i6 of the phonograph. so that when the 30 selector mechanism of the latter is rendered operative thekselector shaft I8 is rotated and as its arm l5 abuts one or another oi' the projected push rods, it arrests the rotation of the selector shaft to in turn eectthe automatic selection of, the record desired for play. all as shown in my Patent No. 2,002,236. Spaced collars il, i8 fixed on each of the push rods, serve to limit the projected and retracted movements of such rod, the collar l1 abutting the front side of the supo portingplate I3, when its push rod is projectedl and the companion lcollar abutting the rear face of such plate when the push rod is retracted 3 to its initial position.

Associated with the push-button assembly of 5 the phonograph, is a selector-control arm il t which is fixed radially to a combined rotatable and axially shii'table shaft or plunger 20 supported in the adjoining plates I2. I3 and disposed axially of the center about which the push rods il are arranged. Fixed on the hollow front end of the shaft 2li is a collar 2| having a forked i Aprojection 22 thereon with which a projecting pin 23 of a ratchet wheel 2l, loosely mounted on said shaft, is adapted tobe coupled, so that during il rotation of the ratchet wheel motion is trans- Cri Cil

I! and during axial movement of such shaft its collar 2| remains coupled with the ratchet wheel. 'I'his selector-control arm is adapted to selectively' register at its outer end 'with one or another of the push rods Il through the medium of its collar I1 and when arrested at a given selected position it is adapted 'to be shifted axially into engagement with such collar to project `the selected push rod to a record-selecting position.-

The ratchet wheel 24 serves to effect the rotation of the selector arm I9 to an operative selective position and to this' end a feed pawl 25 is provided which is applied to the lower end of a rock lever 25 pivoted at 21 to the front side of the supporting plate I2 and adapted to be oscillated back and forth in any appropriate remotely-- controlled fashion to advance the ratchet wheel in a clockwise direction a predetermined distance to pre-set the selector arm in properv radial registering relation with the push rod companion to a given remotely-selected record. As shown in 'Figures 1 and 3, the remote control advancement of the ratchet wheel 24 and the selector control arm'may be effected by means of a solenoid 28 included in the remote control assembly and circuit hereinafter'described and having its plunger 29 connected by a link 3Ilwiththe upper end of the rock lever 25. Upon intermittent energize.- tion of the solenoid, the rock lever is actuated in a direction to actuate the ratchet wheel a distance of one tooth, and upon the de-energization of4 lthe solenoid, a spring 3| returns the solenoid plunger and the rock lever to initial position. A spring 32 connected t0 the ratchet wheel 24 tends to rotate it in a counter-clockwise direction, and, in the retracted position of the rock lever 25, the feed pawl 25 is held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 24 by a pin 33 which is adapted to abut against the pawl in the manner shown in Figure 3. Y

The axial movement of theshaft or plunger 20 to shift the selector-control arm I8 in a forward direction to project a registering push rod to a record-selecting position, is adapted to be actuated in any appropriate remotely controlled fashion, as for example, by a solenoid 34 operatively associated with the shaft or plunger, in'

the manner shown in Figure 2, such shaft or plungerV constituting the actuated element or plunger of the solenoid. Upon energization of this solenoid, the plunger 20 and its selector control arm l! is shifted forwardly to project a selector rod to a selective position and upon the de-energization of such solenoid a spring 35 applied to the plunger 20 and interposed between Y the shaft collar 2| and ratchet wheel 24 serves to restore the solenoid plunger and selector control armyto its initial position. During the reciprocating movements of the shaft or plunger 2U, its collar 2| remains in rotative oouplingensagement with the ratchet wheel 24 through the medium of the connection 22, 23.

. ratchet wheel.

an electromagnet 33, the pawl `having an extenvsion I! thereon which serves as an armature `so that when the magnet is energized, the pawl is retracted from engagement with the ratchet wheel. A spring. 4|l constantly urges the pawl to anormal position in engagement with the It is desirable to retain the escapement pawl 36 out of engagement with the ratchetwheel 24 for a longer duration of time than that e'ected by the magnet 38 and for this purpose I provide a pivoted keeper 4| normally urged to swing downwardly by a spring 42 and having a shoulder 43 at its free end adapted to interlock behind a lateral projection 44 formed on the pawl 26 when the latter has been shifted to a retracted position by the magnet 3l. At a predetermined time inl the cycle of operations,v

when the ratchet wheel 24 is urged by its spring 32 in a Vcounter-clockwise direction, a pin 45 projecting from the face of the ratchet wheel is adapted ,to encounter the pivoted keeper 4| and lift it from interlocking engagement with the pawl 36, thereby permitting that pawl to return to, its normal position in engagement with the ratchet wheel. In the normal position of the parts, the push rod control arm I9 willl assume a position about half way between the lowest and highest numbered push rods II, so that if say. a nickel. Upon the deposit of such a coin,

an electric circuit isA closed at one point in preparationv for automatically closing the circuit at other points including the solenoids 28 and 34 for effecting the automatic selection of a desired record which has been selected from the remote control unit or wall box. This control unit is preferably constructed as follows:

The operative parts of this unit are arranged in a coin-controlled wall box or casing 4B which may be mounted at any desired point remote from the machine or phonograph to be controlled and in the upper front portion of which is arranged a stationary dial plate 41 disposed axially about a shaft 48 journaled in the casing and having an annular row of push buttons or rods dial plate in the manner shown in Figure 5 for ready. selective manipulation by the patron to Vinitiate the operation of mechanism governed thereby for accomplishing remote selection of a record. The inner or shank portions 5|!` of the push buttons are guided in a plate 5I arranged within the casing about the shaft 48, and each button is provided intermediate its shank andbutton-head with .a forwardly tapering or frusto conical head 52 and an annular notch or groove 53 formed between such heads. Loosely mounted on the shaft 48 in the operating plane of the frusto-conical heads 52 of the push buttons, is a rotatable button-latching plate 54 having notches 55 in its periphery with which the companion conical heads of the push buttons are adapted to register. These notches are preferably shaped in the manner shown in Figures 4 and 6 and the straight edge 56 of each notch engages theperiphery oi the conical head 52 of the companion ton to a selective position the conical head acts as a wedge and turns the plate 5l a fraction of a revolution in a clockwise direction, viewing Figures 4 and 8, with the push button notch 53 registering with the adjoining plate-edge 55 to releasably retain the push button in its fully depressed position. A spring 5I. is connected toA the latch plate 5I andtends to turn it in a .di-

rection to bring the straight edges of the platenotches in abutting relation to the buttons. Should a second button be depressed,l its conical head will engage the edge of the companion registering notch in the plate 5l and similarly advance the plate, and during this advance of the plate the mst-depressed button will accordingly be disconnected from interlocking engage-l ment with the plate by reason of the opposing edge of the companion notch receding or being 1 radially displaced from and clear of the notch 53 in such push button. These' push'buttons serve to close an electric circuit across adjoining contact plates or spiders 51, 5l mounted on the shaft Il inwardly of the plate 54| and insulated from the shaft and from each other, each plate being notched in the manner shown in Figure 8 to provide contact tongues 59 positioned radially `in alinement with the respective pushrbuttons I9, there being as many tongues as there are push buttons, so that whenever a push button is depressed at the wall box to remotely select a.

Y record at the phonograph, the companion tongues 59 of the respective contact plates 51, 58 are brought together to close a circuit for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.' The contact plates are more or less yieldable and the outer plate 51, against which the push buttons lI9 abut when depressed, is facedwith an insulating material and each tongue 55 of such outer plate likewise functions as a spring to restore the depressed push button to a retracted position whenever a subsequent button is depressed to unlatch the iirst depressed button from the'but-l ton-lock plate 5I. Each push button 49 is also provided with an inwardly-facing. radial lug 5I which extends into a companion notch in the lock-plate 5l and bears at its side against the notch-edge ,55.

Fixed on the inner end of the shaft Il is a pinion 5I meshing with a gear rack 52 attached to the plunger il of a solenoid 54 which is adaptedv to be energized to rotate the pinion and shaft in a clockwise direction, viewing Figure 4, whenever a selection is made and a coin depositedl in the wall box. A spring 55 connected'to the solenoidplunger tends constantly to restore it to its elevated position and to turn the pinion-shaft in a counter-clockwise direction, which movement constitutes the eifective operative stroke in remotely selecting a given record at they phonograph.v Also iixed on the shaft Il adjacent its outer end is a drum 55 having a pawl l1 pivoted Aat one side thereof adjacent its periphery for engagement with a ratchet wheel Il loosely mounted on the shaft. Associated with this ratchet wheel to move therewith is a gear 88, the latter meshing with a pinion 1I mounted on a counter shaft 1i suitably Journaled inthe casing I5 below and parallel to the shaft l5. Thedrum 66 is adapted to rotate in spaced relation within the annular row of push buttons l! and is so positioned that when a button is depressed to a selective position the lug 55 thereof will be in the plane of `the drum but clear of its periphery..

` periphery is an yarcuate spring pawl 13 whose projecting free end is in the path of and adapted to engage the lug 8l of a projected push button, so'that during the rotation of the drum in a clockwise direction by the energized solenoid 54, the pawl abuts the lug of the projected button and rocks the same about its axis to turnv the notched plate 54 in alike direction to release it from coupling engagement with the button notch 5I, whereupon the companion button-engaging tongue 55' of the contact plate 51, which is under tension at this time. will automatically restore the selected button to its retracted position and break the circuit of the solenoid at the contact plates 51, 5l. Thereupon, the solenoid-plunger spring 55 will restore the solenoid to its initial position and simultaneously therewith turn the.

drum 65 in a counter-clockwise direction so that its pawl I1 will likewise lturn the ratchet wheel Il and attached gear B9. Such movement of the parts is arrested at the initial starting position of this cycle of voperations by a stop screw disposed in the path of movement of the pawl 51, as shown in Figures land 6, and in a radial plane between the lowest and highest numbered push buttons ,0. The number oi' teeth on the ratchet wheel' preferably' exceeds the number of pushbuttons by two, whereby to give the necessary operating clearance between the heel of the pawl 51-and the stop screw 1I. I

D uring the effective movement of the ratchet wheel 68 and gear 59 in a counter-clockwise di-` rection, viewing Figure 4. motion is transmitted to the pinion 15, such pinion being revolved one revolution for each tooth-distance of travel of such wheel. Also mounted on the pinion shaft 1| is a crank disk 15 having a connecting link 15 connected at one end thereto and at its other end to a freely oscillating disk 11 on the pinion-shaft or other adjoining part of the casing l5. Prof .jectlng from the link 15 is a pin 18 which oscil- 15 with intervals of uniform duration, each closl l ing action or the switch effecting a synchronized movement of the ratchet wheel 2l with that of the ratchet wheel 5l, the switch being mornentarily opened and closed during each revolution of the pinion 1l or for each tooth-distance of counter-clockwise travel of said ratchet wheel 68.

Associated with the remote control unit or' wall box is a coin control switch device which is so designed that a coin must be ilrst deposited and then a selection of a desired record made at the.

wall box to4 establish/a circuit including the switch 1l which controls'the solenoid 28 for setting the push button actuating arm i9 in radial alinement with that selector button at the phonograph companion with that selected at the wall box, and further, to establish a circuit which will cause the solenoid 34 to be energized to 'push the selected buttonV II to select position and also start the phonograph in operation, subsequent to which operations the coin-established circuits are again opened' and the vparts controlled thereby restored to their initial positions. This coin control switch mechanism includes a pivoted coin-intercepting paddle 88 disposed in the path of the coin chute (not shown) and whose arm 8| constitutes the movable element of a butterily switch, the xed element of such switch being indicated at 82 and connected by afwire 83 to the power line 84, while thecompanion movable switch element is connected by a wire 85 with the push buttonsolenoid 3l whose coil is connected to the other power line 86. A vertically-swinging lever 81 pivoted intermediate its upper and lower ends at 88 has a lateral extension 85 at its lower end disposed beneath the coinintercepting paddle, so that when thecoin engages the latter it swings it downwardly against the lever-extension 89 and is temporarily arrested with the coin in a trapped position. 'This movement of the paddle is not suiilcient, however, tb close the switch 8|, 82, but it does act to close a switch for governing the solenoid 28 controlling the phonograph push button control arm ratchet 24 and the solenoid El of the wall box, such switch including the elements 88, 8|, the xed element 90 thereof being connected by a wire 92 with one of the terminals of the solenoid il, the other terminal thereof being connected to the contact plate 58 and the companion contact plate 51 being connected to the power line 8l. The movable element 9| of this solenoid-controlling switch is connected to the power line 86 and is operatively associated with the pivoted paddle 8|! so that it is tripped to closed position by a'coin during the initial swing of the paddle to its arrested position against the extension 89 of the lever 8 1. The ratcheting solenoid 28 is connected to the power line 8livand` to one oi' the terminals of the switch 19, the other terminal of such switch being connected to the other power line 84, so that when the coin switch 88, 9| is closed and the selector switch 1! intermittently closed the ratchet wheel 24 will be advanced.

A spring 93 serves to normally resist movement of the lever 81 out of the position shown by full lines in Figure 4. At its upper end this lever has a pivoted trip dog 94 disposed in the path of a radial tappet arm 95 iixed onthe shaft I8. This tappet arm, as shown by full lines in Figure 4, in the normal non-selective position oi' the parts, assumes a position to the right of the trip dog S4 and which is a position subsequent to a trippingoperation. When a selection is made bydepress `ing one-oi the wall box selector buttons 49, the

tappet-arm is moved to the other side oi' the trip dog simultaneously with the turning of the drum B6 to a position as predetermined by the depressed push button. At the terminalend of the counter-clockwise movement ofthe drumand associated parts which govern the corresponding movement of the ratchet wheel 2| and selector control arm I9 to a position alined with the compan ion phonograph push button, remotely selected by the wall box push button, the tappet arm 95 encounters the trip dog 9| and rocks the llever- 81 in a direction to swing its extension 88 from beneath the paddle 88 to thereby release the trapped coin and cause the paddle to be pivoted sumciently to close the switch 8|, 82. 'Ihis causes the button-press-solenoid 3l to become energized to automatically shift the companion remotely-selected push button ofthe phonograph toa selected position Simultaneously with this operation the motor 86 of the'phonograph is closed through the medium oi a magazine switch l81 connected in series with the solenoid 8l whereupon the record selected is brought into a playing position and played. When the trapped coin is released and allowed to drop 'by gravity into the coin box, the lever 81 and tripper paddle B8 return to their initial positions and the circuit is again broken at the=switches 8|, 82 and 88, 9|, causing the button-press-solenoid plunger 28 with its selector control arm I9 to return to its initial position under the tension of the spring 35.

During the restoring movement of the solenoidplunger 2I|,v means are provided :tor closing the circuit of the ratchet release magnet 38 to release the pawl 36 from the ratchet wheel 24 and permit the latter and the parts movable therewith to return to initial or selector-starting position under the action of the spring 32. For this purpose, a normally open switch 98 is included in the circuit of the magnet 38 which is connected to the feed wires 84, 86, and applied to the plunger 2li of the solenoid 34 and in the path of this switch is a trip dog 99, which, on the return movement of the plunger to its initial position, encounters and momentarily closes the switch 88to release the pawl 3B from the ratchet wheel 24. As previously described, the pawl is thereupon held in such released position by the keeper l I.

If desired an indicator including a dial |88 and pointer may be applied to the face of the remote control casing with the dial movable with the shaft 48, so that the patron may observe the selecting movements after a given push button l! has been depressed and a coin deposited. Should another button be depressed before the first one has been properly registered at the phonograph, it will close thecircuit of the solenoid 84 because under such conditions the latter has not had time to return and break the circuit at 90, 9|. This will cause ratchet wheel E8 to operate again an unknown number-'of times and will merely play a wrong selection.

I claim vas my invention:

l. Means for remotely controlling a plurality of selector elements, comprising acontrol mem-l ber disposed in operative relation to said selector elements for selective movement in registering alinement with one or another of said elements.

and for an operative movement in a direction to actuate an alining selector element to selecting position, a selector device remotefrom the selector elements including an arrangement of manuallyselective push buttons simulating that of the selmeans for operatingv said control member in a lector elements and corresponding in number A direction to actuate the alined selector element to y selecting position.

2. Means for remotely controlling a plurality oi selector elements, comprising a control member disposed in operative relation to said selector elements for selective movement in registering alinement with one or another of said elements and for an operative movement in a direction-to actu- "ate an alinin'g selector element to selecting posil tion, a plurality of remotely-disposed, manuallyselective push buttons corresponding in number toA the selector elements, a selector-registering mechanism correlated with said push buttons and movable to different selecting positions, electric means operatively connected to said selector-registering mechanism for actuating it, switch means in the circuit of said electric means disposed in companion operative controllingy relation with said push buttons for governing the selective movements of said selector registering mechanism, complementary means associated with the latter 1o and said push buttons for predetermlning the degree of movement of said registering mechanism and the opening oi said switch means in accordance with a given push button selected. means operatively connected to and synchronized with said selector-registering mechanism for moving said control member in registering alinementvvithV the selector element companion to the push button remotely selected,and means for actuating said control member in' a direction to move such 20 registered selector element to a selective position. 3. Means for remotely controlling a pluralityof selector elements, comprising a control member disposed in operative relation to said selector elements for selective movement in registering alinement with one or another of said elements' and for an operative movement in a direction to actuate an alining selector element to selecting position, a plurality of remotely-disposed, manually-selective push buttons corresponding in number to the selector elements, a selector-registering mechanism correlated with said push buttons and movable to diilerent selecting positions, electric means operatively connected to said selector-registering mechanism for actuating it, switch meansin the circuit oi said electric' means disposed in companion operative controlling relation with said push buttons for governing theselectivev movements olf said' selector registering mechanism, movable means disposed in operative relation with said push buttons for releasably latching a selected push vbutton in switch-closing position, complementary means associated with the selector registering mechanism and the push buttons for predetermining the degree of movement of said mechanism in accordance with a given I switch-opening. position, means operatively connected to and synchronized with said vselectorregistering for moving said control member in registering alinement with the selector element companion to the push button remotely selected, and means for actuating said control member 'in a directionl to move auch registered selector element to a selective position.

4. Means for remotely controlling a plurality of selector elements, comprising a control member in 0 operative relation to said selector elements for selective movement in registering alinement with one or another of said velements and for operative movement in a direction to actuate an alining r selector element to a selectingposition, a plurality 6 oi manually-selective elements corresponding in number toand remote from said rst-named selector elements,v a selector-registering member movable to o. plurality of selective positions relative to said manually-selective elements, means l ,70 operatively connected to and governed b said 'manually-selective elements for predeternl'riining .the selective movement of said selector-registerlingvmember. means ,operatively connecting said ntrol v member and said*fselectof-"re ember and governed by the latter for setting the control member inv alinement with a' selector element companion to the manual selective element selected, and means for operating said control member in a-direction to actuate the alined se- 'lectorelement to selecting position.

5. Means for remotely controlling a plurality of selector elements, comprising an annular row of push buttons corresponding in number to the sethereon as thereare push buttons and being movable a `predetermined distance of one or more teeth in accordance with the push button selected.

' lector elements. a ratchet feed mechanism including a ratchet wheel having at least as many teeth means disposed in operative relation with said the push button assembly a predetermined distance in accordance with a given button selected .switch means in said circuit controlled by and corresponding in number and companion to the push buttons for closing .the circuit, means operatively connecting the ratchet feed mechanism of said selector-element-actuating means4 with the push button ratchet feed mechanism to govern and synchronize the movement of the former with that of the latter to bring said selector-elementactuating means into registering operative engagement with the selector element companion'to -the push button selected, and means for moving the selector-element-actuating means vin a directlonto move such registered selector element to 'a selective position. 4 v

6. Means for remotely controlling a plurality of selector elements, comprising an annular row of -push buttons-corresponding in number to the selector elements, a ratchet feed-mechanism including a ratchet wheel having at least as many teeth thereon as there are push buttons andbeing movable a predetermined distance of one or more teeth in accordance with the push button selected, means disposed in operative relation with `said selector elements for movement into registering engagement with one or another of them.'and in a direction to actuate such registered elements to selecting positions, a ratchet feed mechanismv including a ratchet wheel of 4like characteristics .as the mst-named ratchet wheel and operatively connected l to said selector-element-actuating means for moving it to selective positions of adjustment, means for moving the selector-elementactuating means in a direction to move a reg-lstered selector element to a selective position, Y means for rendering the selector-element-actuat- 6 e "12234557 with said selector elements for movement into registering engagement with one or another of them and in a direction to actuate such registered elements to selecting positions, a ratchet feed mechl anism including a. ratchet wheel of like characteristics as the mst-named ratchet wheel and operativeiy connected to said selector-eiement-actuating means for moving it to selective positions of adjustment, means for moving the. selector-ele- Y 10 ment-actuating means in a direction to move a registered selector element to a selective position,

-and means. operatively connecting the ratchet feed mechanism of'said selectore1ementactuating means with the push button ratchet feed mechanism to govern and synchronize the movement of the former with that of the latter lto bring said selectorelementactuating means into registering operative engagement with the selector element companion to the pushbutton selected.

' RUSSELL I. WILCCX. 

